“I’ve been a little disappointed,” he said, “but obviously it’s the right thing to do.”

Shelley H. Carson, a lecturer in the psychology department, said the forum provided by the Internet for expressing sentiments of sorrow, sympathy and disbelief can help to foster a sense of community among those struggling to deal with last week’s tragic events.

“Expressing condolences is a form of action and can therefore bring comfort to both the the writer and the reader of the condolence,” Carson said.

This atmosphere of sympathy and support continues to pervade online content.

Though ESPN.com, for example, has returned to its sports-reporting domain, a link in the upper right corner of its home page provides information on “Talking to kids about tragedy.”

Even online comics such as Doonesbury.com are featuring links to the latest news.

—Crimson staff writer Kate L. Rakoczy can be reached at rakoczy@fas.harvard. edu.